Lebanon and Syria agree to transfer hundreds of prisoners

Lebanon and Syria have signed an agreement to transfer around 300 Syrian convicts from overcrowded Lebanese prisons to Damascus, a move described as a step toward improving long-strained relations between the two neighbours, as reported by Asharq Al-Awsat via AFP on February 6th.

The deal was announced at a press conference in Beirut by Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri and Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais, who said the agreement reflected growing political trust and cooperation between the two governments.

Lebanese prisons currently hold more than 2,200 Syrian detainees on a range of charges. Many remain in pre-trial detention, while others have been tried in military courts on accusations including terrorism and attacks against Lebanese security forces, according to information cited by AFP. Some detainees are also accused of belonging to armed or militant groups that opposed former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad during the civil war.

The agreement would apply to prisoners who meet specific legal requirements, including having spent at least a decade behind bars. Wais added that other detainees would require lengthier legal procedures before similar arrangements could be reached.

Under the agreement, eligible convicts will be transferred to Syria to serve the remainder of their sentences there. Lebanese officials have framed the move as both a practical response to prison overcrowding and part of a broader effort to normalise bilateral relations.

Mitri said cooperation between Beirut and Damascus extended beyond the prisoner file, noting plans to abolish the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council, a body established during Syria’s period of dominance in Lebanon. Authorities will also revisit agreements signed under Syrian tutelage and review unresolved issues, including land and maritime border demarcation.

Syria maintained a military presence in Lebanon from 1976, initially under the pretext of ending the Lebanese civil war, before becoming a central political and security power in the country. Syrian forces withdrew in 2005 following widespread international pressure after the assassination of former prime minister Rafic Hariri, an attack widely blamed on Damascus and its ally Hezbollah.

Asharq Al-Awsat via AFP, Maghrebi.org